VATICAN CITY – The papal car fleet now has a new addition: a fully loaded, top-of-the-line, eight-cylinder sport utility vehicle.
At the end of the pope's weekly general audience, Volvo representatives handed the pope a set of keys to one of their latest XC90 models that had been outfitted especially for him.
The blue SUV with taupe interior boasts a six-speed automatic transmission and 311-horsepower engine plus all the state-of-the-art safety features.
Though Volvo is Latin for "I turn" or "I roll," the XC90 features a patented Roll Over Protection System, Roll Stability Control, and a whiplash protection seating system, all meant to reduce damage to passengers and the vehicle in case of an accident.
Other standard features in the seven-passenger vehicle are ergonomically designed seats, reading lamps, an eight-speaker CD player, 12-volt power outlets and 12 beverage holders.
But in a country where gas prices reach $6 a gallon, the pope's new SUV does not have the best gas mileage: 15 miles per gallon for city driving and 21 mpg for highway driving. The Web sites for the Ford-owned Volvo say the all-wheel-drive vehicle has high environmental standards with a cleaner-running, low-emissions engine.
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